Tira (Kharar), April 5
Power-cable thieves who are active in the Kharar subdivision for the past three months struck again past night and stole over 350m of overhead power cables from five poles at Tira village in this subdivision.

A few days ago, thieves had also stolen over 1,000m of power lines that used to feed the defence establishment at Mullanpur. An official, of the Punjab State Electricity board (PSEB) said the department was planning to use an idle line for back-up supply.

Mr O.P. Sharma, Assistant Superintending Engineer, said thieves had struck a few days ago and an FIR had been registered on March 26. However, no FIR has been registered in yesterday’s case. In the past one month, three such cases have been reported in and around the village.

The cut wires were hanging loosely from poles on a farm land and the Electricity Department had not even bothered to remove these.

Cables that supplied power to the tubewell of Kaka Singh, a farmer of the village, were stolen 15 days ago. In each case, thieves had struck at night. On January 18, thieves had stolen about 1,200m of high-tension wire, plunging several villages into darkness. The police sources said the possibility of the involvement of an organised gang in these thefts could not be ruled out. However, the police has not been able to solve any case so far.

According to villagers, those who took away the cable had been aware that the cables had no current. In other such recent thefts, thieves had switched off the power supply from the transformer before cutting the wire by using special equipment.

Balbir Singh, a farmer, said the wires that had been stolen past night used to supply power to his farm. He came to know about the theft in the morning and reported it to the police. Balbir Singh said, “The power supply was cut from the nearby transformer before the theft.”

Chandigarh, April 5
Thousands of devotees and members of the National Muslim Welfare Movement took out a procession on the occasion of Muharram in the city here today.

The procession started from the Dargah of Baba Peer in Sector 29 and culminated in the sector. People from different communities also offered prayers and joined the procession.

In a press note, the general secretary of the movement stated that the devotees offered Tabarruk and prayed at the Tazia. Prayers were also offered before starting the Tazia by Mr Habibulla Sabri, head of Dargah Sharif, Mr Gohar Ali Sabri, chairman of National Muslim Welfare Movement, and other Muslim saints.

Khichrha was also offered as a Tabarruk among the public. Some of the precisionists performed gatka and other arts on the way.

Chandigarh, April 5
Coronary artery bypass surgery may be on the verge of a major breakthrough, thanks to a new technique developed by Brazilian doctors which virtually rules out the re-blockages of arteries opened through stents.

The new technique was demonstrated at the American College of Cardiology Conference held at Orlando, Florida, recently and attended, among others, by Dr R.K. Jaswal, a well-known cardiologist of Chandigarh.

Dr Jaswal said that the conference was one of the major annual events in the medical world and one of its sessions was addressed by US President Bush. A major topic of discussion at the conference was the “future of cardiology”.

Dr Jaswal, who was the only cardiologist from Chandigarh to be invited to the conference which was attended by nearly 1,200 cardiologists from all over the world, said in an interview with TNS here today that the blockages of coronary arteries had become one of the major health problems in the country. Cardiologists tried to treat this condition through surgical intervention in which miniature plastic stents were placed in the arteries to remove the blockage and restore the blood flow.

But if there were multiple blockages in an artery or if more than one artery was involved, the doctors had no option but to go in for a bypass surgery which was a relatively riskier and major procedure requiring confinement of the patient for rest and recuperation for up to three months.

A major problem was that in nearly 20 per cent of the cases where stents were placed in the arteries through surgery, re-blockages occurred in due course. This required another operation. While it was a relatively simple procedure in the case of a single blockage in an artery, a bypass operation in a patient who had already undergone a similar operation was far riskier.

The technique developed by the Brazilian doctors, which was demonstrated at the conference, involved putting stents coated with a drug in arteries which virtually ruled out re-blockages. The drug, he said, was Repamycin which, when coated on stents before putting in the coronary artery, prevented re-blockages. The Brazilian doctors had claimed nearly 100 per cent success with this technique.

Another technique demonstrated at the conference was irradiation therapy for preventing re-blockages of arteries opened through
stents.

Chandigarh April 5
Almost 300 students, mostly boys, of the city colleges have been detained by the college authorities from appearing in the various undergraduate examinations of Panjab University. While for the male candidates this would mean a waste of a year, most of the girl students would be taking the examinations as private candidates, following the Panjab University’s policy of relaxation for women candidates.

While almost 70 students of GGDSD College, Sector 32, have been detained, another 120 students, all boys of Government College, Sector 46 and 35 students of SGGS College, Sector 26, have not been issued roll numbers. According to the Principal, Dr S.N. Singla, the number in Government College for Men, Sector 11, is not more than five. The number in DAV College Sector 10, is also around five. These boys will now be appearing in these examinations next year as regular students or continue their education through correspondence. But it would be in any case mean wasting an year.

The situation is very different in the city girls colleges. Almost 15 students of Government College for Girls, Sector 11, have been detained, only three of these students will be losing an year who cannot apply for a private candidature. Similarly, only one science student of Government College for Girls, Sector 42, has been detained while the total number of these students was more than 15. In Dev Samaj College, Sector 45, although ten students have been detained, they have been converted into private candidates.

Chandigarh, April 5
The Senior Superintendent of Police yesterday warned the school authorities that the Chandigarh Police would begin penalising the school students indulging in underage driving, if they did not show deterrence within a fortnight.

A six-member committee has also been formed to conduct raids on any designated day on the pubs, discotheques and cyber cafes during school hours in order to nab those who bunk classes. This committee would comprise four school principals — two males and two females; and one representative each from the District Education Department and the police. The school principals of the offenders would be informed and the latter would in turn inform the parents.

These decisions were taken at a meeting of the city police with the principals of various schools in the city. As many as 125 principals from various government and private schools in the city attended this meeting, held in the Traffic Lines here on Tuesday. The meeting was presided over by the SSP, Mr Parag Jain and was attended among others by the SP (Headquarters), SP (Traffic), all three SDPOs and the Station House Officers of all police stations in the city.

The police advised the school principals to constitute committees on their own so as to stop underage driving, and to check driving licences of students using two wheelers and confirming their age from the school records.

It was also decided to give copies of the High Court order in various schools that give clear cut directions regarding the dress of school bus drivers and the attendants. It has also been decided that the Station House Officers of the various police stations will address the morning assembly of the schools once a month to exhort them to follow traffic rules.

SAS Nagar, April 5
“Neither I know Kuljit Singh Nagra, a former general secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress, nor do I have enmity with him.” This was stated by Mr Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Ropar SSP, while talking to mediapersons here today. He was referring to the allegations levelled against him by Nagra at a press conference here yesterday that the Ropar police was harassing his family under pressure from Akali leader Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal. The SSP said these charges were baseless.

The SSP said Sajjan Singh and others had got a case registered against Harjit Singh Nagra, brother of the Congress leader, and others on March 2 under Sections 324, 326, 307, 336, 341 and 34 of the IPC and investigation was on. Harjit Singh had been arrested and was now in judicial custody. Kuljit Singh Nagra, also an accused in this case, had absconded and raids were being conducted to find him.

The SSP said that a tussle was going on between the two groups on the issue of obtaining contracts for quarrying on river beds. One group was led by Harjit Singh Nagra of SAS Nagar and the other by Sajjan Singh, a resident of Chotta Samana.

He said, earlier, Nagra and others had got a case registered against Sajjan Singh and others on July 25 past year under Sections 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. Investigations in that case had been completed.

Chandigarh, April 5
Actress Lisa Ray arrived in Chandigarh today to be a part of the celebrations to mark the conclusion of the Coca Cola Red Alert summer promotion. She commanded attention, especially after the box office success of her debut film Kasoor.

Lisa also visited YPS School in SAS Nagar, where she was accompanied by Coke people who, as per reports,also shot the sequence. The model-turned-actress had kids going mad for her autograph. Within minutes of her arrival, the campus presented the picture of a fair.

Happy with her performance opposite Aftaab in Kasoor, despite not doing the dialogue delivery herself, Lisa was looking forward to meaningful stints in the film world. She admitted, “I really need to work on my language. I have to do the dialogue delivery myself.” In Kasoor, Divya Dutta did the dubbing for Lisa.

As of today, Lisa was most concerned about Coke. She also attended the party thrown by the managing director of Kandhari Beverages Limited, Mr Jaspal Singh Kandhari, on the final day of the promotion.

MADHAN CASEContradictions in statements of witnessTribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5
Counsel representing Major V.K. Madhan, who is being tried by a general court martial for dereliction of duty, today brought out contradictions in the statements of Lt-Col Sandeep Kala, who has been summoned as a prosecution witness in the trial.

During the cross-examination, Colonel Kala testified before the court that he had made a certain statement during the recording of the summary of evidence (SOE), but could not substantiate his claim when a copy of the SOE was given to him by the defence.

Colonel Kala, who was the second-in-command of the accused’s unit during the Kargil operations, had testified that a conversation between him and the accused took place on June 25, 1999, and he had told the accused that the battalion had been given the task of attacking Three Pimples on June 27-28 and recce for the same was in progress. Colonel Kala added that he had asked the accused whether he would like to go for the attack. He was told by the accused that he was suffering from a knee injury and was not in a position to climb mountains.

However, when asked by the defence to show the relevant statement in the SOE, Colonel Kala conceded that this statement was not recorded. He added that this had not been done because he had been told by the officer recording the SOE, Lt-Col R.L. Tiwari, to stick to the gist of the events only.

When asked if similar restrictions were also imposed during the Court of Inquiry (COI), the witness replied in the negative. But the complete statement, as claimed by the witness, was not mentioned in the COI report also.

Colonel Kala also stated that since it was almost two years after the operations, it was difficult to remember the exact time and events. He was unable to recall the presence of some officers during a prayer meeting (mandir parade) organised by the unit on June 26 when some discussion on the issue took place. He also did not remember the date and duration of the battalion Commanding Officer’s journey between Mughalpura and Kargil.

Colonel Kala was also cross-examined by the defence on statements made by him during the SOE regarding offers made by him to send the accused to forward positions on a pony.

Chandigarh, April 5
The sudden rise in the mercury and fall in the water level of various lakes and ponds in the region have forced migratory birds to depart early to alternate habitats this year. Illegal hunting of these “winged visitors” and speedy urbanisation in their preferred habitats in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh are the other major causes for their decreasing numbers.

Concern at the falling numbers of the migratory birds was highlighted by a team of wildlife experts at an informal meeting with The Tribune here last week. Dr Vinod Sharma, Chief Warden, Zoos, Punjab, was in the chair.

Similar changes in the behaviour of the birds were witnessed at Pong Dam in Kangra district Harike Lake in Ferozepore, Kanjli in Kapurthala, Breta in Sangrur, Hargobindpur in Gurdaspur, Thein Dam, Ropar, Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, Chhat Bir Zoo in Patiala district and Renuka Lake in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

Sultanpur National Park and Dupchick Lake in Haryana, apart from other wetlands in the state, have also attracted the “feathered migrants”. However, the drying up of Moonak lake in Karnal district has seen a fall in the number of the migratory birds.

The artificial Sukhna Lake, which gathered comparatively less number of migratory birds this year, also faces a similar behaviour of the “foreign guests”.

Zoological experts confirm that human interference and water sports have disturbed the natural habitat of the birds and dwindled their strength at the Sukhna Lake. As a result, birds have shifted to a pond at Chhat Bir Zoo located on the Chandigarh-Patiala highway. Another reason for their visit there, according to the zoo authorities, is the easy availability of fish in the pond.

Over 6,000 migratory birds, including brahminy ducks, grey legged goose, moorhens, pochars, teal, snow goose and other species of birds, have been spotted at Chhat Bir Zoo this year. Some birds even nested within the zoo premises for breeding.

The alleged poaching of these birds at different water features in the remote areas of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab by local poachers has posed a threat to their future appearance. Apart from the poachers, fishermen also reportedly indulge in this trade. The birds trapped in their nets, cast for fish, are usually butchered.

They reportedly sell the meat of these birds at the rate of Rs 35 to 40 per piece. They indulge in this trade without any fear due to inadequate security arrangements for the birds by the state government.

Moreover, large crowds of visitors, who gather to watch the birds, also irritate them.

Sources in the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology reveal that 26 new ponds and lakes have been identified as wetlands in Punjab and 13 in Haryana. These new wetlands have now started attracting the birds.

In Himachal Pradesh too, different ponds and lakes, including Rewalsar in Mandi district and Gowindsagar in Bilaspur district, are receiving more and more of these birds.

Chandigarh, April 5
The settings are of a village compound. Mud houses, a “theka” in a corner, people relaxing on cots enjoying “dal
makhni” or “dal fry” with a glass of “lassi” will all be available when te four-day Punjabi Village Food festival — Pind Da Bulava (Invitation from the village) — gets underway at the Sector 10 Hotel Mountview here tomorrow evening.

The festival, the first of its kind to be organised at this hotel of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation
(CITCO), will dedicate its first day to only vegetarian food, says Mr
S.P. Singh, Managing Director of the CITCO.

This is being done to coincide with the Mahavir Jayanti celebrations tomorrow.

On the remaining three days, non-vegetarian dishes would also be available in this unique food festival, says Mr Vijay
Shama, Deputy General Manager, Food and Beverages.

“The ambience, the settings, the backdrop, the dishes, their preparation and services will reflect typical village environment. This is the way we want to celebrate
Baisakhi, the festival of Punjabis,” says Mr Jagan Choudhary, Banquet Manager of the hotel.

To give cultural touch to the festival, award-winning bhangra team from the Sector 45 St Stephen’s School has been invited to participate. The music to be played on all the four days will be typical Punjabi folk.

“We will have a bullock-cart, a tractor-trailer, kites and everything you find in your village home,” says Jagan Choudhary, maintaining that food items will have rich variety and will be reasonably priced. Besides, there will be counters for “mehandi” and even for “bangles”.

Chandigarh, April 5
A four-member team of the Special Protection Group (SPG) arrived in the city today and held discussions with the police on the security arrangements to be made here for the Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit on April 7.

The city police officials held a meeting with the team of the SPG officials led by an Assistant Inspector-General and comprising three Inspectors this afternoon. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, is scheduled to have a brief stopover at the airport here enroute to Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh during an official visit. He is scheduled to arrive in the city in his aircraft and will fly to Hamirpur in a chopper.

The police has made elaborate security arrangements. Around 300 police personnel, four DSPs , SP Security, SSP and the UT Inspector-General of Police will be present at the airport. Several VVIPs like the Chief Ministers and Governors, of Punjab, and Haryana will also be present at the airport.

A team of doctors from the General Hospital, will also be stationed there. As is mandatory, a VIP route alert will also be sounded from the airport to the Punjab Raj Bhawan. The police will also be carrying out a mock exercise of a convoy on the route from the airport to the Raj Bhawan tommorrow evening.

Panchkula, April 5
With an eye on the fury unleashed by last year’s monsoon, which washed away a part of the newly constructed Sector 21 bridge, the PWD (Band R) designed an elaborate scheme of construction of bundhs to contain the damage.

This scheme has been forwarded to the Haryana Urban Development Authority for approval and execution, though the PWD (B and R) is also willing to undertake the project if HUDA so desires.

An official of the department said last year’s monsoons had washed away the bridge. This was on account of non-channelisation of water of the Ghaggar. In order to streamline the flow of water, ensuring it went from under the channel.

“We are not willing to take any chances this time. So instead of designing the bundhs to keep the bridge safe ourselves, we got it done from the engineers in the Roorkee institute. We have forwarded the designs to HUDA and are awaiting their decision in the matter,” the official added.

The only hitch in the execution of the plan is the sanction of funds by HUDA. To cost approximately Rs 5 crore, the PWD says once the funds come in, tenders will be floated and work will begin on the project.

The officials said the engineers had not only submitted a design based on the area inspection carried out last year.

Chandigarh, April 5
The Chandigarh Chapter of the Fellows of Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Foundation, Germany, has been founded with Dr R.P. Bajpai, Director, CSIO, as president.

Prof Raj K. Gupta of the Physics Department of Panjab University will be the vice-president, Dr Alok Srivastava of the Chemistry Department, PU, will be the secretary and Dr M.L. Garg of the Biophysics Department of PU as treasurer. The chapter comprises scientists and academics belonging to PU and national scientific organisations at Chandigarh.

The activities planned for the local chapter include social and academic aspects of interaction amongst its members as well as with the visiting fellows.

Chandigarh, April 5
The Punjab Governor, Lieut-Gen. J.F.R. Jacob (retd), today called upon the people to imbibe and preach the message of peace and non-violence of ‘Bhagvan Mahavira’.

Felicitating the people on the eve of Mahavir Jayanti, the Governor said that India emerged as a votary of non-violence by achieving freedom of the country through non-violent means. Reaffirming faith in the ideals of ‘Bhagvan Mahavira and practising them in our life, would be the real tribute to him, the Governor added.

The Haryana Governor, Babu Parmanand, also conveyed his wishes to the people.

In a message, the Governor said the teachings of Lord Mahavira were more relevant today when man is passing through an era of mental agony and physical sufferings due to too much attachment with materialism and immoral ways of life.

The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, also urged the people to follow the path of non-violence and compassion as propagated by Lord Mahavir. He called upon the people to maintain communal harmony as their collective efforts would ensure speedy development in the state.

Chandigarh, April 5
The Chandigarh Administration today formed a twenty-member committee headed by the Adviser to the UT Administrator to monitor and make plans for year-long celebrations of the 2600th birth anniversary falls tomorrow and the celebrations will continune till next year.

The committee has been formed on the directions of the Central Government. It also comprises the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University, the Home Secretary, the Finance Secretary, the Commissoner of the Municipal Corporation, the Inspector-General of Police, the SSP, the Chief Engineer of the Chandigarh Housing Board, the Director of Public Relations, the Director of Health Services, the DPI Colleges, the DPI schools, the Director of Museum and Art gallery, the local MP, Mr Pawan Bansal, Justice G.C. Mittal (retd), Justice S.K. Jain (retd), former MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain and the president and vice-president of the Jain Maha Sangh, Chandigarh, Mr Radhey Shyam Jain, Mr P.C. Singla and Mr T.C. Jain, respectively.

Chandigarh, April 5
Mr H.G.S. Dhaliwal today took over as the new Superintendent of Police, Operations, after the former SSP Operations, Mr Asad Farooqui was given a farewell yesterday.
Mr Dhaliwal was earlier posted as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in the Central Sub division in the city and was recently promoted to the rank of an SP.

Mr Dhaliwal would be in charge of the Crime Against Women Cell, the Economic Offences Wing and the Anti Terrorist Cell and will be directly reporting to the UT Inspector General of Police.

Chandigarh, April 5
An impressive cultural evening was held as a part of the installation ceremony of the new governing council of the Chandigarh Press Club here tonight. As Babu Paramanand and Mr O.P. Chautala, Governor and Chief Minister of Haryana, respectively, sat through the function singers Karan Jasbir and Madan Maddi entertained the audience.

Among others to be present were former Union Minister Mr Sukhbir Badal, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh. The function was enjoyed by members of the club and their families.

Chandigarh, April 5
The Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, has sought a departmental inquiry into why only 7 to 8 shops in the area opposite the old Notified Area Committee office in Mani Majra were served notices for removing cantilevers and not the other three.

In a note sent to the
Commissioner, Mr MP Singh, the Mayor pointed out that while three shops in the area had been given No Objection Certificates though they had the cantilevers protruding, the other eight had been issued notices to remove the same before seeking NOCs.

Panchkula, April 5
A delegation of the residents of Mubarikpur village today met the Deputy Superintendent of Panchkula police, Mr J.S. Dhahiya, and demanded immediate arrest of Tarsem Singh, prime accused in Geeta dowry-death case. The accused Tarsem Singh was booked by the Panchkula police for killing his wife.

Chandigarh, April 5
Mrs Surinder Kaur, wife of Mr Santokh Singh Dhir, eminent Punjabi writer, died at her Phase X house in SAS Nagar this morning after a brief illness. She was 82. She was also mother-in-law of Mr Davinderjit Singh Darshi, General Secretary, Chandigarh Journalists Association.
She was cremated at SAS Nagar cremation ground in the afternoon. A large number of writers, journalists, eminent social leaders and representatives of various political parties and social organisations joined the funeral procession.

Chandigarh, April 5
The Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress will hold a black flag demonstration against Ms Sushma Swaraj, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, when she arrives here on a day’s visit to the city tomorrow.

The BJP workers led by the city party chief, Mr Darshan Paul Gupta, will accord a warm reception to Ms Swaraj at the railway station. After fulfilling a couple of engagements, including a meet-the-Press programme at the Chandigarh Press Club.

Chandigarh, April 5
The police arrested two youths after they hit a head constable of the Traffic Police and assaulted other police personnel on naka duty near Congress Bhavan, in Sector 35 last evening.

It is alleged that the accused, Sushil Massih and Simranjit Singh, were going on a motorcycle (CH-19-166 (T) when they hit constable Suresh Kumar at about 7 p.m. The constable received injuries on his leg and was admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32, for treatment.

Both the accused were arrested and the police has registered a case under Sections 279, 337, 332, 353 and 34 of the IPC and Sections 129 and 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act. The motorcycle has been impounded.

Theft incidentsA theft of over Rs 15,000 took place at the residence of Mr Amit Kumar in Ram Darbar yesterday. Cash worth Rs 10,225, clothes and a tape recorder was stolen while the family was away from home between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.

In another case, Rs 3,200 were stolen from the room of Ms Geeta Khurana in General Hospital yesterday at about 11 a.m.

A shocker of a motorcycle was stolen from the residence of of Mr Arun Kumar Sharma in Sector 29 on the intervening night of April 3 and 4. A car stereo was also stolen from the car of Mr Kusum Thakur from the parking near Neelam cinema.

One bookedThe police has booked a taxi driver, Vijay Kumar, on the charge of breach of trust after he failed to return back from a trip to Delhi. It is alleged that the accused was working for Mr Vazir Chand, proprietor of the Thakur Tours and Travels. A few days back, the accused had taken some passengers to Delhi, in a car but failed to return back. A case under Section 406 of the IPC has been registered.

Chandigarh, April 5
A scuffle reportedly took place between two groups in the Industrial Area Phase II here this evening. Sat Pal Gupta reportedly suffered injuries and was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32.

According to the information available, the scuffle took near the plot number 3106. The police also arrested four persons under Sections 107 and 151 of Cr. PC. Those arrested were Mani Ram Chaudhary, Ramesh Kumar Gupta, Vijay and Jitender.

Chandigarh, April 5
Mr Puneet Gupta, director of L-Comps and Impex Private Limited, engaged import and marketing of Berri brand of fruit juices from Australia, today sought to allay apprehensions that its products could be adulterated.

In a statement issued here, Mr Gupta said it would seem that some his
competitors had tried to tamper with stickers pasted on the juice bottles in order to create the impression that there was a mismatch in the date of manufacture and expiry etc, which in turn gave the product a bad name.The product could not be tampered with because the dates of expiry and manufacture date were being printed with ink jet printers in Australia.

Mr Gupta said he had checked with the UT health authorities, who had stated that samples had been sent to laboratory to test their purity. The results were still awaited.